Roger Glen Skinner passed away Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, from complications of COPD, emphysema and his heart. He was a loving father, grandfather and partner.
Roger was born Dec. 29, 1951, in Levelland, Texas, to J.C. Skinner and Mildred Lorene (Ballew) Skinner. He had five older brothers, J.C. Skinner, Jr., Donald Lowery, James A. Skinner, Dale Skinner and Charles Skinner.
When Roger was 6 years old, his parents took him to the opening of the new Whiskeytown Dam in California. While there, President John F. Kennedy came over and shook his hand. He met him again when he was in the Air Force in Minot, N.D. He was always very proud of that. In 1963, the family moved to the Redding/Andersen, Calif., area where he attended school and graduated from Anderson High School in 1971. During the summers, he worked at Lassen Park as a groundskeeper.
He always loved music, especially country western and was an avid drummer and harmonica player. When he was a kid, he would go down to the Redding Railroad where the hobos stayed under the bridge and listen to them play music. It was there that he learned how to play harmonica.
In 1972, Roger went into the Air Force, where he graduated from Fire School as an Airman 1st class firefighter. He loved the Air Force, but his mother became ill, and he was honorably discharged to take care of her. He was a lifetime member of the VFW. Roger was married three times and had five children, Daniel, Syrina, Katie, Lura Joleen and Jamie. He was very close to all of his children and loved them very, very much. Roger played drums with a band called California Goldrush. They played music and jammed in bars around the Redding/Anderson area and in the western states: Idaho, Montana and California. In his travels, he met Jimmy Dean, Lee Marvin and played music with Merle Haggard once. His band played for Ron Howard’s daughter’s wedding. He loved bagpipes and always wanted to learn how to play them.
Roger moved to Orofino in the early ’90s and went to work for ASE Orofino sand blasting signs. He later went to work at State Hospital North as a custodian, where he retired. Roger loved doing karaoke and that’s where he met the love of his life, Deanne Dawson, in 1999. They continued to sing together for many years and even bought their own machines and did karaoke for many weddings and events in town. They were together for 23 years.
Roger was well known for his harmonica playing of “Call Me The Breeze” and Willie Nelson songs. He loved the holidays and shopping for people, and he was a proud “honorary member” of the Peck Community Club because he helped them so much at the dinners out at Peck.
Roger was quite a collector and had a love of “gadgets”: old cars, tools, coins, knives, watches, etc., but especially Elvis Presley memorabilia and even sounded like him when he sang his songs.
Roger was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Dale Skinner, Donald Lowery, Charles Skinner, Jim Skinner; and daughter, Katie Nicole Fristoe. Surviving family: Deanne Dawson and their dog, Toby; son, Daniel A. Skinner; daughters, Lura Joleen Taylor, of Blaine, Wash.; Jamie (Joe) Taylor, of Kamiah; Syrina Skinner, Redding; 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Roger was the sweetest, most loving man and will be truly missed by all of his family and friends.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the VFW Post 3296, 330 Michigan Ave., Orofino, Idaho or to someone in need over the holidays. There will be a memorial later in the spring.
